The member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly representing the Ibiono Ibom State constituency, Moses Essien, has appealed to the Federal Government to increase funding for the Calabar-Itu road project and ensure its timely completion to alleviate the hardship faced by motorists.
The construction and dualisation of the road managed by three construction firms, have dragged on for over five years, with little progress largely due to insufficient funding.
Some sections of the road have become so deplorable that commuters and motorists now spend days on a journey that should take less than two hours.
Speaking on Saturday during a visit to a failed section of the road at Ikot Ebom in Ibiono Ibom LGA, where commuters and motorists have been stranded for days, the lawmaker urged the Federal Government to expedite work on the long-neglected federal highway.
Essien, who is the House Committee Chairman on Health, stressed the urgent need for the federal government to provide adequate funding for the project, noting the road’s strategic importance in fostering economic growth, promoting unity, and ensuring the safety of commuters and motorists travelling between the two states and other regions.
“As the representative of the people of Ibiono Ibom State constituency and as one who regularly uses this road, I had to come here to see things for myself.
“From what I have seen — and as you can see — the road has become impassable, and my constituents and other users are suffering.
“I want to take this opportunity to call on the federal government and President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene and ensure adequate and proper funding for the construction of this important road, which links the South-South region to the South-East and other parts of the country,” Essien stated.
He lamented that his constituents and other road users have endured severe hardship due to the road’s deteriorating condition.
“You can only imagine the suffering on this road—people spending days here without reaching their destinations,” he said, adding, “People cannot access Cross River State from here, nor can they reach Akwa Ibom State, and we all know the importance of this road to the region and the country as a whole.”
